Time and Again
by emeraldwolf
Summary: A story of many time periods and many pairings. AU's. Yaoi with some side het. SummaryPairing info is on each chapter. Rating will be set at highest, though some chapters will be more mild.


Some general info here. I am not a specialist on any time period (except possibly ancient Greek and Roman societies because of my major). So don't hold it against me if my costume descriptions, style of talking, or minor details are off. I'm not researching these things, I'm just writing out some ideas.

Each chapter will focus on a different pairing from KH and KH2, though there will be multiple pairings (usually for the sake of having families) in each chapter. Enjoy!

Oh and if you have a time period you'd like to see, feel free to mention it in a review. I already have a few ideas, but I could always use more.

Chapter 1

Pairing: Sora/Riku main, plenty of others

Time Period: mid-eighteen hundreds

Location: upstate New York

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I hate parties. I especially hate balls.

Sure, the ballroom is nice. And everyone looks their best, trying to impress the rest of society, but if you've been to one you've been to them all.

"Sora!"

Ah, I was wondering how long it would take my family to realize I had escaped. My heavy sigh is drowned out by the violin being played intensely in the back of the room. My coat tails flap against the back of my boots, right where my pants tuck into them, as I march over to my family.

My father, mother, and sister are all standing together in one corner, next to a potted plant that almost looks like its part of the family as well. My mother and sister are both wearing their fanciest and most lace covered dresses, both scanning the crowd for any potential suitors for Kairi.

At least my father hates balls as much as I do. His eyes are barely visible beneath his long bangs, and for the hundredth or so time I wonder how he can see with his hair like that. Although I know its to hide the scar that crosses his face, it can't be easy. My own hair is a testament to genetic irregularities.

My father's hair is long and flat. Both my sister Kairi and my mother have short, very straight hair cut in the same short style. But my hair has a mind of its own. If it wants to go up, it will go up, come hell or high water.

"Sora! I've been calling you for ten minutes! Come over here."

My mother can be a terrifying woman sometimes. She is small, but she is intense.

"Sorry mother. I couldn't hear you clearly over the music. Why did you call me?"

Her usual grin is back and she pulls me over, starting to point out every young woman in the vicinity who was single. Ah yes, a mother's work to marry off her children is never done.

"And thats Tifa. She's older than you, but she hardly looks it. Her father owns a large farm and they have ten horses, all their own! Can you imagine?"

Large farm. Right. Large. Farm.

Sorry, guess I'm a bit easily distracted.

Did I mention my family doesn't have a lot of money? Farming has its definite pros and cons. We get to put in a good day's work, and in turn we get our food. On the other hand, most of the people in town look down on us. They all have businesses, or at the very least servants and workers to do all their farming for them, while they sit in their mansions making themselves look pretty.

"Yuffie. Let the boy be."

God I love you father.

Mother just pouts and waves me off, instead focusing her attention on Kairi. My sister is gorgeous, and because of that I am paranoid. Every party or dance we go to I feel like her personal guard. I'm not big by any means, although working in the fields has given me enough strength to beat off most of her pursuers. Its still quite a taxing job, to keep away any and all young men who glance at my sister and are taken in by her big purple eyes and soft red hair.

I don't want you to be misled, I have nothing but brotherly affection for my sibling. But I see the way other men look at her.

Maybe thats why I hate balls. My sister always attracts the most attention when she's dancing around, and her cheeks get flushed and her hair tossed around.

"Oh Kairi, look at him! The blond over there. I think his name was Tidus? His father is a blacksmith. But I've been told he's very well off on his mother's side."

Alas, poor sister of mine.

As I inch my way closer to my father, I hear a squeel and see two friends of my sister come bounding up to her, the ribbons in their hair fluttering behind them like standards on the battlefield. Their names are Namine and Selphie. The eldest of the three, Namine, is already engaged to be married to my cousin Roxas. He lives in the city, half a day's ride from our house.

The other girl, Selphie, is currently staying with us. Her parents live even farther north than we do, and she has stayed the whole winter with us. Though now that spring is very much here, she should be heading back to her home soon.

The four women converge and its like a dark presence has come over that area of the ballroom. Without meaning to I retreat to my father's side and bump against him. He grunts in his usual demeanor, but says nothing. We must stick together. Its do or die in these situations, when women are involved.

Out of the corner of my eye I catch someone looking at me. Before I can see their face clearly though, they're gone. At first I write it off as being nothing, or perhaps a friend caught sight of me and is on their way now to greet me.

The music has slowed down a bit, the crowd migrating to the food and drinks, with tired and flushed couples collapsing onto couches to comment on how lovely the evening had been.

Again I feel eyes on me but this time I do not even see a body turned as if to observe me. Maybe there is a girl in the crowd, fishing for helpless men like my sister has often done before.

"Oh my! Selphie! Look!"

Had I been standing a few feet away, my ear drums may have been spared. But no such luck for me.

My sister's cry can only mean one thing. She's found the man that she plans to seduce this evening. And so, she has found me my nemesis.

"He's gorgeous. Kairi, do you know who he is?"

At least Namine is quiet and more discreet. With the volume of my sister's early scream its a wonder the man didn't hear it himself and run off in fear.

"I know who that is," my mother interrupts. In that group it would be difficult to tell that my mother is indeed that, and not just another of the girls looking for a husband. "That's Riku, the only son and heir to a banking empire owned by his father in Manhattan. I've never met him, but I'm sure thats him. He inherited his odd looks from his father, you can pick him out in a crowd by his hair---oh God here he comes!"

There is a fluttering of ball gowns and hasty grooming of each other's hair before a young man emerges out of the crowd, and the entire group of girls are poised and look as though they are dolls ready for display.

But oddly enough, the man who has captured their attention seems oddly interested in me. His eyes are looking at me, and I get the odd sensation that this is not the first time. He has dark green eyes, shadowed by bangs about as long as my own, but of a frighteningly pale shade. His hair reminds me of the first snow storms in winter, when the ground is covered in white and everywhere the shadows have lightened to blue and gray.

Turning his head he pretends to either not have noticed me, or to have simply lost interest in me. But he has approached my sister, and therefore my interest could be no where else.

"Good evening, fair ladies. My name is Riku," he pauses and extends his hand, bowing at the waist. "May I ask yours?"

The girls clamber and nearly faint. Selphie pulls a fan from her belt and begins fanning herself. Its only May, but inside the ballroom the presence of so many people in such a small place has raised the temperature far higher than anyone would care for.

My sister seems to have won the draw, and has her delicate gloved hand taken by this Riku, and he places a gentleman's kiss on the back of it, his pony tail of silver hair falling over his should as he does so.

I don't like him. I don't like him at all.

"Its a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kairi Leonhart. This is my mother, Yuffie Leonhart, and my friends Selphie and Namine."

When you've seen things like this enough, you get used to the routine. And the unspoken snub of 'my friends' who do not merit last names. My sister is an artist in what she does. She insults beautifully.

Leaving my father, who may very well have died and his rigor mortis is the only thing keeping him standing, I walk boldly up to the group. At least I was bold until that man looks at me. Its as if a spark has gone off in those eyes at the sight of me. I naturally assume he is jealous, thinking perhaps I'm a challenger for the hand of my sister.

"My name is Sora Leonhart. I see you've become acquainted with my sister."

He smiles and straightens up, and I'm unhappy to realize he is at least half a head taller than I am. Though height isn't everything. This rich boy has probably never had to do anything in his life. And though he seems to have broad shoulders, the cut of his suit could hide anything. I seriously doubt he's muscular enough to give me any trouble.

"It seems I have. My name is Riku Gainsborough," again he extends his hand, though this time without the bow.

I shake his hand and its stronger than I expect. Not nearly as delicate as I'd like. But if nothing else, the grip matches the gaze.

"Now now, brother, don't go scaring another boy away. You have to at least let me meet some young men at parties without chasing them off."

Kairi gently leans against me, weaving her arms around my left one. She's looking coyly over at Riku, who has put on another smile, different than the one he leveled at me.

"Nothing to worry about. I'm not easily scared."

He looks at me, and with a tone that is not at all challenging says, "Nor chased."

What was that? That look in his eyes. And the way he said that. And the pause in there. Its almost as if he wanted me to know something. Does he think I won't chase him off if he tries to get too close to my sister?

"Well, I believe I hear another dance starting. Kairi, would you do me the honor?"

Of course my sister would take advantage of my moment of confusion and dart off to dance with the silver haired man. I take up residence next to my father, the stiff.

Throughout the rest of the night I manage to avoid the company of either my sister or her new quarry. Perhaps it is time that I allow her to choose a husband and be engaged. I intend to stay on the farm and help my father with the labor anyway, so marrying is not a concern for me. But I know Kairi wishes nothing more than to be free and the head of her own household.

But I don't trust this Riku person.

Not with those looks he keeps sending me over the crowd.

My mother has appeared out of nowhere, as is her custom, and she is almost hopping up and down in excitement. My father, to his credit, does not jump three feet in the air at her arrival, as is my custom.

"We are having Riku stay with us for the night!"

"Huh?"

Ah, as always father and I are in tune with each other.

"There's a storm coming, and the ride back to the house he's staying at while in the country is too long. He'll be caught out in the thunderstorm so I've offered him to come back with us."

"Thats a nice gesture, but have you forgotten we barely have room in the carriage for us? Sora already had to ride Gummi here."

I nod emphatically but there's a twinkle in my mother's eye. God help us when there's a twinkle in that woman's eye.

"Its fine, Sora and Riku can both ride back. If we leave now we should make it before the rain starts. Riku decided to ride one of his horses instead of taking a carriage."

She said this like a king had come down from on high to mingle with the peasants. Which, considering what I've heard about Riku's family's wealth, might not be too far from the truth.

"Oh this is the best thing ever!"

Ah Selphie. A more piercing cry there never was.

"Let's go already."

My elbow is being forcefully pulled away by my sister, and the rest of the room goes by in flashes of suits and skirts. And one silver haired individual who falls into step beside me, with his eyes always angled down, as if he has something to hide.

He probably does.

Being both gentlemen, or at least pretending to be so, we help my sister and Selphie into the carriage, as my father assists my mother. Not that she needs any help. But appearances are important, so she lets my father haul her up into the seat next to him.

"Hurry boys, I think the storm might be catching up to us!" Mother yells out the side of the carriage as the horses take off down the road. For a very tense and awkward minute or so, Riku and I stand in the courtyard in front of the mansion. Then two of the stable boys run up to us, the horses leading them rather than the other way around.

"Is Gummi giving you trouble again, Hayner?"

The young stable boy just nods his head, blushing to his blond roots and clenching tightly to the reigns of the brown stallion. After all, Gummi is quite a large horse, and has a mind of his own. Not something that should be combined with a tiny slip of a boy.

Riku either doesn't know the name of the stable boy who hands him the reigns of his own black mare, or just considers it below himself to make conversation. I notice that Seifer glowers and head back to the other horses, not waiting for Hayner to catch up. Riku just snorts and pulls himself up on his horse.

Once I'm sitting in the saddle we take off down the road, Riku constantly trying to edge himself in front of me along the road. Even though we're going to my home and it should be me leading the way.

I feel the temperature drop before I realize that the rain has started. I give Gummi a slap on his neck and dig my heels in to speed him up. This time I'm passing by Riku, hoping that we can speed up and make our way back to the house before we get completely drenched.

As I pass by him I see him flashing me a smile, and his hair slowly sinking down under the weight of the rain. Something makes me look away and spur Gummi on even faster, Riku immediately matching his horse's speed with mine. Even in the rain I can see Gummi's nostrils flaring out as he smells the mare closing in on him. Now its a race. Hopefully I'll be able to stop him when we actually reach my home, and not end up running right past it.

Its possible that Riku realizes that the horses competing might not be the best for navigating them through this breaking storm, so he pulls up on his mare and she slows down to a few lengths behind Gummi.

Just in time too. There's the path to the house. Nice and muddy. Wonderful.

At least if Gummi kicks up some mud it should end up in Riku's face. Ha. Now that's something that might make the evening worthwhile.

I turn in my saddle and wave to Riku to slow his horse down, as I do the same. The barn is just a little ways down the muddy road. The shift from the cold rain and mud to the warm dusty barn is a shock, and I shake my head, letting the rain drops fly off and the dust no doubt to stick to me straightaway.

Completely ignoring my companion and wherever he may be, I hopped off of Gummi and led him into his stall, brushing some of the water droplets off of his coat, though I knew he wouldn't mind it. We had made it in before the rain had truly started to come down.

Which it was doing now. In buckets in fact.

Someone grabs me as I look out into the rain, trying to see if there was a covered path through the trees to the house.

Oh yeah. Riku.

He grabs me by my shoulders and pushes me against the door frame. The wind blows and I feel a lash of water against my side, making my hair fall and drip into my eyes. As I try and struggle away I flip the hair out of my eyes, so I can look into my attacker's face.

He looks surprisingly calm. And smug for some reason.

"You know Sora, you're quite fetching when you're not talking."

Okay, now I'm worried. I hate this guy. But now I'm a little afraid too. Maybe he's crazy. He sure looks it, with his big green eyes. And that odd hair, pressed wet against his neck on the side facing the deluge.

"Guess I'll just have to keep up the conversation then," I say as I push against Riku again. This time I manage to move my back off of the door post, but just as quickly he presses me back against it. This time with his whole body.

His knee is wedged between mine, and trying to avoid touching him I move my stance wider. His smile drops and his eyes widen as he watches the movement.

Only after he grins at me again, that predatory look I saw at the dance returning, that I realize I just spread my legs in front of him.

Oh God.

"Get off!"

Damn he's strong. And fast. He manages to grab each of my wrists and pins them to my side. Giving me a moment to stop struggling, he tilts his head and leans closer to me.

Suddenly the stuffy barn doesn't seem like a good place and I try and lean into the rain, as if that will keep him away. He just comes closer, and so I jerk my head back inside, feeling his lips brush against my ear.

My whole body retreats against the post at that feeling. His lips are soft and slick from riding through the rain.

"You really shouldn't deny yourself something that can be so enjoyable. I'm not asking you for anything," here he slid his hands down my wrists, causing more goose bumps to rise along my arms, and forced his fingers to thread through mine. "I'm just giving."

This time he moves in slowly, but he waits before trying to kiss me. I know he is waiting for me to throw my head to one side or the other. I'm so busy trying to devise how to avoid his lips that when they meet mine it doesn't register.

Its a very strange feeling. Certainly not my first kiss, but the first that was taken instead of given. He moves and the press of his flesh to mine, and the tightening of his fingers through mine make me twitch against him.

I wouldn't say its altogether a bad thing. And he pulls back, not trying to further anything, and giving me a look I'm sure he's perfected on countless young women and servant girls. The sliver of green eyes from behind those light bangs. Just the slightest tilt down, so I can see the curve of his top lip.

Then things seemed to fast forward and suddenly I'm pulling him against me as much as he's pushing.

I'm going to regret this.

Even if its only once. And means nothing. It still feels wrong. There's nothing that feels right about this.

And as his hands press my thighs open so he can undo the buttons of my pants, I gasp out the last bit of refusal I could ever have.

His hands are warm and wet, whether from the lightening rain or from the sweat of my own palms, at this point I don't care. His other hand ends up pressed against my chest, along with his forearm as he braces himself and pumps me slowly within my pants.

I squirm against the post at my back until he kisses me again, this time letting his mouth open and gently tease the edges of my own. I press my tongue forcefully against his, if nothing else to silence the horrible sounds that keep coming from my mouth. Halfway between grunts and moans. They sound so disgusting, so wanton.

I feel his fingers curling against my chest, digging into my soggy jacket as his other hand works me out of my pants and I thrust into him fiercely, mouth and hips rolling in a jerky kind of harmony. The only time I realize that he may be getting something out of this encounter is when his hand releases my chest. He brings his head down and leans on my shoulder, keeping his face from my view.

But I see his hand travel to his own pants.

His hand speeds up, and I feel my breath hiccup in my chest and I stand on the tips of my toes as I feel myself reach my climax. He doesn't touch me any more after that. Just uses his dirtied hand to brace himself against the post for another few seconds as he furiously pumps himself and eventually stiffens in his release.

Caged between his head on one shoulder, and his hand to the side on my other, I don't really know what to do. Should I say something? Will he move in his own time?

The family won't wait long. Soon they'll figure out that something is wrong and come looking for us.

He answer my questions by standing up, shaking his hair out of his eyes enough to see me again. Then he leans in and brushes his lips against my flushed cheeks, and whispering in my ear a gentle thank you.

Luckily there is still enough rain coming down for us to wash ourselves off, letting the rain clean us as we walk on shaky legs to the door of the house.

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You there! Review!

And feel free to throw out time periods or pairings you'd be particularly interested in seeing. Riku and Sora will show up in other chapters, maybe even as pairings, but each couple only gets one chapter devoted to them.


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